Most of us want strong, healthy, nails, sans acrylic or press-ons. If you’ve got ridges on your fingernails (or brittle nails, peeling nails, or yellow nails) you might feel a little less confident about the state of your digits. While there are lots of reasons for nail ridges, thankfully, there are also a number of ways to get rid of them.
What even are fingernail ridges?
Vertical nail ridges (lines that run from your cuticle to the tip of your fingernail) are super-common, and are a normal sign of ageing. “The skin under the nail plate loses some structural integrity and becomes wrinkled, much like other areas of ageing skin,” says dermatologist Dr Tsippora Shainhouse.
Then, there’s horizontal nail ridges (lines that run from side to side), known as Beau’s lines. These are less common, but equally pesky. “When horizontal ridges occur in a single nail, it’s usually due to trauma to the nail matrix (the area where your fingernails start to grow),” says Dr Shainhouse. Things like picking your nails, jamming the cuticle back, or getting your finger caught in the door can cause a dent in the “conveyor belt,” so future nail plates are “produced” with a ridge, she explains.
But don’t fret: The ridges aren’t permanent, and once they grow out, your nails will be back to business as usual.
What causes ridges on fingernails
Ridges on fingernails can be caused by a number of things, and in most cases they are benign and nothing to worry about. Below find a few potential reasons you might be seeing ridges on your nails, per dermatologist Dr Karan Lal.
Horizontal ridges causes
Horizontal ridges, aka Beau’s lines, often happen when your body undergoes significant periods of stress and your nail stops growing, says Dr Lal.
- Severe viral infections and illnesses
- Kidney disease
- Nutritional deficiency (such as iron, zinc, or vitamin A)
- Damage associated with acrylic nails or other nail trauma
Vertical ridges causes
Vertical ridges, aka trachyonychia, can be caused by a number of things, Dr Lal explains, including:
- Skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis
- Dehydration of the nail plate
- Autoimmune disease such as alopecia areata
- Ageing
- Nutritional deficiency (such as iron, zinc, or vitamin A)
How to prevent ridges on fingernails
While there’s no guaranteed way to prevent nail ridges, especially if they are due to an underlying condition, overall nail maintenance can go a long way in keeping your nails smooth, strong, and healthy.
Most importantly, do your best to avoid nail damage — especially the kind associated with manicures. “Some people go to salons and get their nails drilled and sanded, and I don’t recommend doing that because if you have brittle nails they can actually make your nails thinner which can make them easier to crack,” explains Dr Lal.
It can also help to apply clear nail hardeners which can help strengthen the nail, smoothen out the nail surface, and prevent the nails from getting damaged, Dr Lal adds.
How to get rid of ridges in fingernails
So what can you do about fingernail ridges that have made themselves a permanent fixture on your digits? Here’s what dermatologists recommend.
1. Moisturise your nails regularly
“Keeping your nails hydrated with a hand cream or oil can minimise the appearance of ridging and protect the keratin of the nail,” says dermatologist Dr Donna Hart. Use a moisturiser that contains ceramides or alpha hydroxy acids, which trap in moisture and nourish your nails.
2. Keep your nails neat
Keeping your nails on the shorter side can help prevent trauma to the nail during your day-to-day grind; just make sure to not go overboard with trimming: “Constant trimming or cutting your nails may cause them to develop ridges,” says dermatologist Dr Richard Torbeck. Scaling back on trims reduces the potential for trauma to your nail.
Clip your nails with a standard nail clipper only when there’s visible white, and don’t clip so low that there’s no longer white present. “This allows time for the nail to grow and heal between clippings,” says Dr Torbeck. Trim your nails straight across, then round the tips in a gentle curve using a very fine nail file. Filing snags or irregularities post-haste also helps to prevent future trauma.
3. Don’t pick at or bite your nails
The skin, including nails, responds to outside stimuli by thickening. “By not picking at your nails or the skin around them, you’re decreasing the chances of causing nail irregularities,” says dermatologist Dr Noelani González. Identifying the triggers that cause you to pick at or bite your nails and learning how to manage them can help you hit the brakes on future nail damage.
4. Buff them gently
While it doesn’t treat the underlying problem that’s causing your fingernail ridges, gently buffing your nails can help camouflage them in a pinch. A word of caution though: “Be very judicious with your use of nail buffers, as these thin the nail plate out, which can make them softer, too flexible, and prone to trauma and breakage,” says Dr Shainhouse, who recommends a gentle buff once a month be your maximum.
Using a four-way nail buffer, use each of the four steps to gently sand, smooth, shine, and file your nails. To avoid nail splitting, make sure to buff in the same direction as the nail grows, as opposed to back and forth.
5. Don’t mess with your cuticle
You can prevent traumatic ridges by not picking or shoving your cuticle back. “The cuticle is the only barrier the fingers have to keep dirt and infections out of the tissues of the fingers,” says Dr Shainhouse. Not only can an infection cause damage to the nail matrix and potentially deform your nail, but the act of pushing back the cuticle can bang it up, creating a permanent ridge template for all future nail growth. A great way to protect and condition both your nails and cuticles is to incorporate a cuticle oil into your mani routine.
6. Reduce water exposure
Wash your hands when it’s necessary, but try not to overdo it. “Washing your hands too often strips your skin of its natural oils and emollients, resulting in dryness and even hand eczema, which can cause nail changes,” says Dr González. The same goes for prolonged water exposure, like when washing dishes. The nail cells absorb water, expand, and then contract when they dry out, which can weaken the bonds between nail cells over time, says Dr Hart.
When you do have to wash your hands, switch to a moisturising hand soap, suggests Dr Shainhouse and follow up with a dose of your go-to moisturiser. If your hands are constantly immersed in water, consider wearing cotton-lined rubber gloves to protect your hands and nails — and when that’s not practical, moisturise regularly.
7. Maintain a healthy diet
It’s rare, but ridging can sometimes be a sign of an underlying systemic condition or vitamin deficiency, says Dr Hart. Eating a well-balanced diet (and staying on top of signs of dehydration) can help ensure you’re meeting the daily vitamin quota necessary to fend off nail ridges. And when you amp up your diet, keep foods that are known to promote healthy nail growth top of mind. Think: dairy products (milk, cottage cheese, plain Greek Yoghurt), biotin (veggies, eggs, nuts), and zinc (lean meats, fish, spinach, mushrooms).
8. Use a prescription-strength nail hardener
There are many ways that you can strengthen brittle nails. If you’re experiencing nail breakage or splitting along with ridges, your dermatologist can prescribe a topical nail strengthener to help strengthen your nails, says dermatologist Dr Amanda Zubek.
Why not OTC hardeners? “In-store hardeners typically contain formaldehyde, which can temporarily harden nails in the short-term, but ongoing use can actually cause the nails to become more brittle and weak,” says Dr Zubek. Prescription nail hardeners, on the other hand, contain chemicals that not only work to increase the strength of the nail, but trap moisture in, preventing nail brittleness in the process.
9. Add a ridge filler to your manicure routine
Unfortunately, nail polish doesn’t hide ridges — it can actually draw more attention to them. “Ridge fillers, followed by nail polish, can help smooth out the look of nail ridges,” says Dr Shainhouse. Ridge fillers operate much like a base coat that settles into the nooks and crannies of your nails, giving you a smooth canvas to work with.
10. Choose polish that is easier on your nails
Go with typical nail polish for your manicures, which is less damaging to your nails than acrylic or gel. “The procedure of applying the acrylic and gel nails involves physical abrasion of the surface of the nail to enhance adhesion of these cosmetics, which damages the nail,” says Dr Zubek. Besides being a major trigger of horizontal nail ridges, these types of manicures can also change the pH of the nail, affecting its strength.
Meanwhile, acetone nail polish remover is excellent at removing nail polish and acrylic or gel nails, but it causes damage to the nail and surrounding skin, says Dr Zubek. Non-acetone nail polish removers may not be as hardcore at dissolving polish, but they do the job and are gentler on the nail.
11. Give your nails a breather.
“In manicuring, the nails are exposed to prolonged water exposure,” says Dr Zubek. “When repeated over time, this can lead to overall dehydration of the nail and surrounding skin, thereby weakening or increasing brittleness of the nail.”
Nail polish remover further compounds the problem by dehydrating and changing the chemical properties of the nail surface, Dr Zubek adds. The nail cells’ ability to stick tightly to one another is weakened, leading to brittleness and ridging.
If your nails are becoming dry or brittle and you’re noticing increased ridging, it’s recommended to take a three to four-week break from manicuring to allow the nail to grow out and regain its strength, says Dr Zubek. Consider giving your tips a hand (pun totally intended) by applying a keratin treatment to your nails when you’re between manicures.
When to see your doctor about fingernail ridges
If you believe the ridges on your fingernails may be related to an underlying condition, or are causing you pain or discomfort, a visit to your doctor may be necessary. “If the condition is sudden in onset or causes splitting of the nail at the free edge, it would be beneficial to see your doctor,” says Dr Zubek. “Your primary care doctor can screen for internal causes of ridging, or refer you to a dermatologist who can evaluate for skin conditions that might be causing it.”
Changes in colour or texture, such as your nail turning a dark colour or a surface change that’s new also warrants a visit to your doctor, says Dr González. More serious conditions might be the cause of the abnormality, so it’s always best to book a consult and ease any worries you might have.
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